Journal ReportClinical Pilates versus general exercise for chronic low back pain: randomized trial. Wajswelner H, Metcalf B, Bennell K. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2012;44(7):1197-205
Section snippets
Purpose
This single-assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the efficacy of physiotherapy-delivered clinical Pilates and general exercise for chronic low back pain.
Methods
Eighty-seven community volunteers with low back pain for ≥3 months and age 18-70 were randomized to either the Pilates (n=44) or general exercise (n=43) group. The primary outcome was pain/disability measured with the Quebec scale. Secondary outcomes included pain on a numeric rating scale, Patient-Specific Functional Scale, Pain Self-efficacy Questionnaire, quality of life, and global perceived effect of treatment. All participants attended 60-min exercise sessions twice weekly for 6 wk
Results
Eighty-three participants (96%) completed the 6-wk intervention and 60 (69%) completed the 24-wk follow-up. At 6 wk, no difference was found between groups for change in the Quebec scale (3.5, 95% confidence interval=−7.3 to 0.3, p=.07); both groups showed significant improvements. Similar results were found at the 12- and 24-wk follow-up and for the secondary outcome measures.
Conclusions
An individualized clinical Pilates program produced similar beneficial effects on self-reported disability, pain, function and health-related quality of life as a general exercise program in community volunteers with chronic low back pain.
PMID: 22246216 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22246216]
Reprinted with permission from: Wajswelner H, Metcalf B, Bennell K. Clinical Pilates versus general exercise for chronic low back pain: randomized trial.